a study in pink, and the mirror moment;

[falling_voices]

This was intended as a form of introduction for the S2 meta, but after several rewrites of it it simply didn't seem to fit, so I'm putting it up now, perhaps as a prologue. See, ASiP remains my favourite episode pretty much on par with TRF, and I find the echoes between both of these episodes to be fascinating, but upon closer reflection ASiP

Comments

[rox712]

This is brilliant! So true and exactly what made me fall in love with the show during ASIP.

[falling_voices]

Thank you! ASiP was quite perfect as an opening to the series, and the way the themes that are introduced in it are further explored in the following episodes allll the way up to TRF is making my goddamn life.

[ningen_demonai]

John will believe, following what he thinks is Sherlock's suicide, that in the end he wasn't enough, wasn't able to protect Sherlock not only from Moriarty but also from himself, which, right, is breaking my stupid fucking heart
Yup yup yup and I want to kick Sherlock in the face for that, regardless of logic.

THEY LOVE EACH OTHER :(

[falling_voices]

THEY DO

I KNOW

I still want to write that DW crossover in which the Doctor takes John back to see what really happened on that rooftop, so he can heal that bleeding heart a little. And, just, yes, obviously Sherlock didn't have much of a choice in the matter, and I'm always a little uncomfortable with post-Hiatus fics that just assume that John will punch him in the face without the slightest thought for Sherlock and what he himself went through during these three years - Sherlock's departure is callous, yes, but I don't think it's cruel. So. Yeah, conflicted interpretations.

[ningen_demonai]

Only problem with that is what Sherlock probably had in mind: Can John keep his emotions about Sherlock being alive down? I'd be all for that (cuz Jooooohn) but yeah. D:

And most "punching Sherlock in the face" is probably cuz the writers themselves want to punch Sherlock in the face. It's like a compulsion. But yeah, I can see why it's uncomfortable and also probably not too logical cuz John is a soldier and he'll at least hear someone out before punching them in the face (unless the person punches him in the face first, hello Sherlock). Unless John thought it was just some ~experiment~ where Sherlock fucked off for 3 years or whatever just cuz he could. IDK, emotions are weird in this 'verse.

Plus Sherlock really didn't have a choice! I mean, John's life is gonna suck hardcore for a while cuz he's pretty much alone again, except for a couple people whom he may not be able to stand for a bit cuz their connection is Sherlock, but it really was the only choice. The organization isn't stupid enough to view "suddenly disappearing John

[falling_voices]

Re: post-TRF fic, I especially like those where John figures shit out. the sensation of falling just as you hit sleep was amazing, in that sense - I've seen quite a few stories in which he gets suicidal over Sherlock's death, and all of these feel trivializing and ill-fitted to the headcanon I have of John.

John's not - emotional, I suppose; he's the kind of person who sometimes acts impulsively, but keeps a hard check on his feelings most of the time. His best friend coming back from the dead might be the kind of trigger that would break that frontier between his brain and his emotions, but I have a hard time believing that his first instinct would not be hugging Sherlock or otherwise expressing relief over his survival

[veronamay]

If I nod any harder at my screen my head may actually fall OFF.

[falling_voices]

WHAT IS THIS NEW SHINY ICON

Man, I don't normally find BC attractive, what the effing hell is this. (We always agree on meta. Always. It's a rule.)

[veronamay]

LOLOL oh dear, that is an OLD shiny icon. I have had it for many moons. It just doesn't come up in the random-choosing rotation very often.

Here, have a picspam to aid you in this discovery of BC attraction. (The original pic for that icon is in there. It is pretty.)

[falling_voices]

YES. EXACTLY. Man oh man, most of my S2 meta is hinging entirely around Sherlock's identity crisis and how he hangs on to clichés of the heartless man and the consulting detective and the friendless machine, but rewatching ASiP for this prologue made me realize how very easily he gives in to his own lack of identity after barely a day of knowing John. They both sacrifice something inherently important to their self - John puts himself in the line of fire when he shoots Hope, and Sherlock rewards him by withdrawing part of himself and building a John-shaped organ in its place. He constantly claims that he is all brain and no heart, but he shows his heart-hand the very day he meets John.

They're breaking mine. My heart.

(I thought it was Down The Rabbit Hole when I wrote this, but having rewatched it that scene is nowhere in it, so it must have been another. You should watch it if you haven't yet, though; it works great as an unofficial trailer for S1.)

[shezan]

Perfectly said, lovely and true.

[falling_voices]